From theoretical perspective, this study aims to consider the balcony, the sole outdoor space in each housing unit of multi family house which is the most prevalent form of housing in Korea, and investigate and analyze its current use and change of pa...
From theoretical perspective, this study aims to consider the balcony, the sole outdoor space in each housing unit of multi family house which is the most prevalent form of housing in Korea, and investigate and analyze its current use and change of pattern based on the research in relevant literatures, and propose reasonable and feasible solution to overcome the hindrances to the expansion of balcony from the institutional perspective.
For this study, this researcher figured out the shape of balcony in domestic apartments which has changed in Korea according to the law pertinent to the construction and housing, and furthermore, and analyzed through the research in the relevant literature the present improvements including the current use and the expansion so far, etc, from which the following problems were derived.
Improvements, including the expansion have been banned by law so far. However, a lot of households have been making illegal improvements after they move in or at the exact point of time when they were moving in. Consequently, economic loss and environmental damage resulted from the removal of new materials which were never used.
To make it worse, the tolerance of structure were undermined by the use of heavy materials used without undergoing any review of the structure. The increased capacity of facility inflicted damage on the households living downstairs, and arguments over the equal sharing of the building administration cost have been arising from the matter with respect to the central heating system.
Furthermore, there was a problem in the fire fighting and fire prevention measure, such as the prevention of the fire from spreading to the adjacent households, as well as the loss of life in case of disaster such as fire, which is attributable to the absence of space for escape.
The revised Enforcement Ordinance on the construction which was enacted in December of 2005 permits the expansion of the balcony, and as a result, the guideline on the alteration of structure was set forth which should be complied with. However, the conflict with the existing buildings over the equal use area arose, and institutional problems, such as the civil petition filed by those who are moving into the apartment under construction, inequality with regard to the imposition of the acquisition tax and registration tax, unavoidable illegal alteration after moving in and so forth.
Improvement of law and institution needs to be followed through to solve those problems.
Therefore, this study proposed solution, described below, to the problems related to the planning of apartment balcony in Korea, which was mentioned before, from the institutional perspective.
First, the method to calculate the inner line of outer wall as the exclusive dwelling area only in case of multi family must be revised to focus on the central line of wall in the same way with the ordinary structures, to ensure the fundamental elimination of the intention to expand the exclusive space for the improvement based on the apartment floor area calculation standard.
Second, the space necessary for the escape from the fire must be ruled out from the calculation of floor area, which is the current practice, in order to prevent the illegal expansion fundamentally, a measure that can be implemented by removing the balcony service area. And the remaining space can be counted in as the exclusive area.
Third, a measure is required to ensure that the households, which plan to make the expansion after moving in or while dwelling in, must obtain the permit from the governmental office of corresponding jurisdiction, because the current standard of balcony design does not make sure in reality that the regulations that require the insulation and fire prevention, etc, are complied with if households make individual expansion after moving in or while moving in, except that they contract with the supplier for the expansion when the apartment is sold. Therefore, a measure must be taken to strengthen the system that requires the households, which try to make expansion after moving in or while moving in, to obtain the permit from governmental office of corresponding jurisdiction.
Fourth, a measure to ensure the improvement, from the perspective of the housing supply, by revising the apartment sales system, is to implement the post-sales system where the consumer can select the wholly completed house to make sure the prevention of the improvement after moving in.
So far, this study sought a way to bring solution to several problems related to the area of balcony from the institutional perspective. It is considered that more specific and detailed studies must be conducted in the future as to the architectural effect of balcony on the building area, the building coverage for the building area, the floor area ratio, the right of light, the height of building, the effect on the outdoor space, and so on.